Guppedantha Manasu (transl. Fist sized Heart) is an Indian Telugu-language romantic drama television series airing on Star Maa from Monday - Saturday at 7:00 PM since 7 December 2020. It is also available on Disney+ Hotstar. The main plot of the serial was taken from Bengali language series Mohor which aired on Star Jalsha.[2] It stars Mukesh Gowda, Raksha Gowda, Sai Kiran and Jyoti Rai in lead roles. The story showcases the ups and downs in the life of a brilliant and fiery-tempered professor of a college, when he clashes with his talented yet headstrong student.
| Guppedantha Manasu | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama Family Romance |
| Based on | Mohor |
| Written by | Dialogues : Aadi Ganesh |
| Story by | K Usha Rani |
| Directed by | Kapuganti Rajendra (Episode 1-100) Anil Anand Kumar Pantham |
| Starring | Mukesh Gowda Raksha Gowda Sai Kiran Jyothi Rai |
| Country of origin | India |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 576 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Rajiv Bhakshi Simni Karna Anil Anand |
| Cinematography | Lakshmi Srinivas |
| Editor | Suresh K Kasukurthi |
| Running time | 21-23 mins |
| Production companies | BIG Synergy[1] Bhoomi Entertainments |
| Release | |
| Original network | Star Maa |
| Picture format | 576i SD 1080i HD |
| Original release | 7 December 2020 (2020-12-07) – present |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Mohor |
Rishendra 'Rishi' Bhushan is the young, brilliant and dynamic Managing Director and Professor at a college, Devendra Bhushan Institute of Science and Technology (DBST) in Hyderabad, which is owned by his family. He is rich, arrogant, hot-tempered, and is hostile towards his mother, Jagathi, due to a misunderstanding that she left him in his childhood to pursue her career. Jagathi had left five-year old Rishi to care for her ailing parents, but his envious aunt Devyani poisoned young Rishi's mind against her. Rishi is raised by Devyani and his father, Mahindra, both of whom he loves and respects tremendously. An extremely talented and intelligent student, Rishi becomes a university topper and gold medalist, and starts managing the DBST college. Rishi agrees for an arranged marriage with a friend, Sakshi, but their engagement breaks because Sakshi wants to do a PhD abroad. Rishi and Jagathi are separated for twenty years, during which she did not try to meet or contact Rishi. While Jagathi remains miserable and profusely misses Rishi, he is both pained and infuriated with her for leaving him.
Rishi's paths cross with Vasudhara 'Vasu', a brilliant student from a village, who dreams to become a teacher. Vasu escapes from a forced wedding with Rajiv, her elder sister's evil widower, who convinces Vasu's orthodox father to let him marry her for the sake of his motherless child. Jagathi, who is Vasu's former teacher, advises her to leave home and apply to study at her son Rishi's college, DBST. When Rishi comes to know that Vasu has been sent by Jagathi, he deliberately sets a very difficult admission interview for her, which she passes painstakingly with Mahindra and Jagathi's help. Rishi admits her to DBST and is now her mathematics professor.
Rishi and Vasu spend a lot of time together as part of various college events. Though their ideologies clash initially, Vasu slowly earns Rishi's acceptance, support and favour with her hard work and sincerity. Rishi accompanies Vasu to the 'Youth Icon' contest and motivates her to win. Rishi also saves her multiple times from the lustful conspiracies of Rajiv, who is later jailed by SI Sireesh, Vasu's childhood friend. Jagathi comes up with a project called 'Mission Education', which Rishi agrees to lead at his college, and eventually acquires Government support for it. He reluctantly employs Jagathi as a professor at DBST and recruits Vasudhara as his project assistant. Rishi, Vasudhara and Jagathi work together to make Mission Education a grand success. Mahindra, Vasu and Jagathi try hard to get Rishi to forgive and reunite with Jagathi, but he continues to reject her as his mother.
As Rishi and Vasudhara spend more and more time together, they start developing feelings for each other. Vasudhara starts hallucinating Rishi's presence everywhere and longs for his support, while Rishi grows possessive of her and dislikes her spending time with her friend Sireesh. Hoping to make Rishi reveal his feelings for Vasu, Mahindra misleads Rishi into thinking that Vasu is about to marry Sireesh. But instead, Rishi grows furious at Vasu for hiding things from him, starts avoiding her, and fires her from the post of his assistant. A hurt Vasu tries hard to ask an unyielding Rishi what her mistake is and why he is angry with her. Finally, desperate, she stands for hours in the rain before Rishi relents and confronts her about marrying Sireesh. Vasu emotionally reveals that she isn't engaged to Sireesh, and begs Rishi to scold her all he wants, but not punish her with his silence. Rishi becomes friendly with Vasu once again.
Rishi's friend Gautam comes from America to stay with him, and to Rishi's annoyance, starts harbouring feelings for Vasu. Against Devyani's wishes, Rishi reluctantly brings Jagathi to his house to celebrate Makar Sankranti for Mahindra's happiness, after Mahindra suffers from a stroke. Devayani's ploy to insult Jagathi at a college event makes Mahendra publicly reveal that Jagathi is Rishi's mother and his wife. Rishi's anger at this causes Jagathi and Mahindra to move out of his house. Jagathi informs Rishi that Mahindra's health is suffering as he misses Rishi. As a birthday gift for Mahindra, Rishi brings both Mahindra and Jagathi back home again, to Devyani's horror. Vasu continually admires and appreciates Rishi's stellar character. Her concern for Rishi and eagerness to make him happy attract him towards her. A proud Jagathi is congratulated for Rishi's professional achievements. Gautam proposes to Vasu and is rejected. Sakshi returns, pausing her PhD midway to win Rishi back with Devyani's help, but is rejected vehemently by a furious Rishi.
After deep thought, Rishi realizes and confesses his love for Vasu. But to his shock, she says that she does not love him and does not believe his love for her, because he rejected both Jagathi and Sakshi in the past. Rishi resolves to stay away from Vasu, but she hallucinates him everywhere and can't concentrate in class or her part-time job. She makes several unsuccessful attempts to talk and apologize to Rishi, prays profusely for him when he meets with an accident, plans a grand welcome for him in college when he recovers, gives him all her food despite being hungry, and realizes that she would die without Rishi when he risks his life to save his students during a chemistry lab accident. Vasu regrets not accepting Rishi's proposal, publicly credits Rishi for her academic success, garlands him with flowers, feels jealous seeing him with Sakshi and vows to win him back, but is afraid to propose lest Rishi slap her and reject her in anger. When Sakshi publicly proposes marriage to Rishi at a college event, Devyani begs a furious Rishi to marry her for their reputation. But Rishi indirectly forces Sakshi to call off their wedding with his deliberate negligence and open interest in Vasudhara. Vasu apologizes to Rishi and emotionally confesses her love to him with the same gift he had proposed to her with, and a ring with their initials 'R' and 'V'. Rishi sees that in his love Vasu has lost focus on her education and career. He gracefully accepts her proposal on the condition that she would stay away from him till her final year examinations end. Rishi saves Vasu from Sakshi's schemes, takes care of her and helps her prepare for and excel in her exams.
Rishi slowly develops a positive impression on Jagathi as he observes her good deeds and how well she understands him. Rishi organizes a grand celebration of his parents' wedding anniversary for Mahindra's happiness. Rishi informs a horrified Devyani that he intends to marry Vasu. Rishi is enraged when Devyani reveals that Mahindra and Vasu made a pact behind his back to reunite him with Jagathi. Devyani tries to influence Rishi against Mahindra and Jagathi, but fails. Mahindra and Vasu disappoint and hurt Rishi by constantly telling him to accept Jagathi as his mother against his will.
| Language | Title | Original release | Network(s) | Last aired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengali | Mohor | 28 October 2019 | Star Jalsha | 3 April 2022 | Original |
| Kannada | Sarasu | 11 November 2020 | Star Suvarna | 28 August 2021 | Remake |
| Telugu | Guppedantha Manasu | 7 December 2020 | Star Maa | Ongoing | |
| Hindi | Shaurya Aur Anokhi Ki Kahani | 21 December 2020 | StarPlus | 24 July 2021 | |
| Malayalam | Koodevide | 4 January 2021 | Asianet | Ongoing | |
| Tamil | Kaatrukkenna Veli | 18 January 2021 | Star Vijay | ||
| Marathi | Swabhiman - Shodh Astitvacha | 22 February 2021 | Star Pravah |
The pair of Rishi and Vasudhara, fondly called by fans as 'Rishidhara', is immensely loved and tremendously popular among audiences of all age groups.
In September 2022, Guppedantha Manasu became the top GEC show in Telugu television in both Urban and Rural ratings, breaking the 221-week long first place record of the Star Maa serial, Karthika Deepam. Guppedantha Manasu has also enjoyed the position of the most popular Telugu show, as well as the top viewed show across the whole of India, online on Disney+Hotstar for several months, beginning from 2021.
In June 2022, Guppedantha Manasu became the top show in terms of Urban ratings and the top 2 GEC show overall for the Telugu audience, and has remained so ever since. In February 2022, the show became a top 3[3] show in both Telugu GEC and Star Maa.[4] In November 2021 and December 2021, the show received its highest ever ratings of 14+ TRP points.